The 2026 MLB season rolls on, and there’s plenty of lineup movement to track as we set our fantasy lineups. Let’s get right into it.
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Arizona Diamondbacks
Ryan Waldschmidt climbed from ninth to fifth/sixth this week. Nolan Arenado is managing a groin issue but bats cleanup when healthy. Ildemaro Vargas remains an everyday player.
Athletics
Carlos Cortes leads off against righties but platoons versus lefties. Henry Bolte has started 12 of 16 since his call-up, all in center field. Lawrence Butler has become essentially a bench player.
Atlanta Braves
Atlanta has faced four straight lefties entering Friday, with Mauricio Dubón hitting second against each. Ha-Seong Kim has drawn 12 starts in 16 games since his reinstatement from the IL, all at shortstop.
Baltimore Orioles
Baltimore has seen a ton of lefties lately, which is throwing things off. Samuel Basallo rarely starts against them. Colton Cowser has at least begun playing against most right-handers. Jackson Holliday has been in the lineup for two of six lefties since making his season debut.
Boston Red Sox
Marcelo Mayer has shifted to shortstop with Trevor Story (hernia) out for a while. He still sat against the most recent lefty. Ceddanne Rafaela has moved up to the two-hole lately.
Chicago Cubs
Pete Crow-Armstrong jumped to leadoff last Saturday and has hit there against the past six right-handers Chicago has faced. Moisés Ballesteros is back to taking most of the starts at DH over Michael Conforto. Keep an eye on Conforto, who has hit very well in limited action this year.
Chicago White Sox
The White Sox are settling into Antonacci/Murakami/Vargas/Montgomery/Meidroth as a consistent top five. Not much changing elsewhere.
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Cincinnati Reds
Lots of cycling through leadoff options this season, with Blake Dunn the latest attempt. JJ Bleday is an everyday fixture. Nathaniel Lowe is hot at the plate but no longer plays against every righty now that Eugenio Suárez is back.
Cleveland Guardians
Travis Bazzana has taken the leadoff role against righties while we wait to see whether it sticks versus lefties too. Brayan Rocchio keeps performing well but stays stuck at the bottom of the order.
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Colorado Rockies
Jake McCarthy is back to leading off against righties with three games at Coors this weekend, though Robbie Ray starts for the Giants on Sunday. Tyler Freeman is settling into a 2-4 slot most games while TJ Rumfield keeps batting third or fourth.
Detroit Tigers
Dillon Dingler hasn’t sat since May 3. Colt Keith and Zach McKinstry are in strong-side platoons. Otherwise, things are steady.
Houston Astros
Yordan Alvarez missed his first game of the year Sunday with a minor back issue. Taylor Trammell has hit cleanup against the past two right-handers faced, which tells you the state of this lineup. Braden Shewmake and Nick Allen are getting time at second and third, as is Isaac Paredes, of course.
Kansas City Royals
Incredible health and consistency here. Garcia/Witt/Vinnie/Sal are the 1-4. Carter Jensen bats fifth against righties with Jac Caglianone hitting sixth.
Los Angeles Angels
Nolan Schanuel (ankle) is on the IL, so Vaughn Grissom has taken over at first base and bats third. Jorge Soler remains locked in at cleanup. Zach Neto and Jo Adell have played every game.
Los Angeles Dodgers
Andy Pages has moved inside the top five. Mookie Betts has hit cleanup in two straight. There’s been some jumbling, with Max Muncy having missed four games and Teoscar Hernández (hamstring) now headed to the IL.
Miami Marlins
Jakob Marsee has settled into the five-hole vs. righties with sporadic starts against lefties. Lots of consistency. Owen Caissie keeps platooning. Joe Mack has worked exclusively behind the plate since his call-up, with no looks at DH.
Milwaukee Brewers
Christian Yelich moved to leadoff against the past two right-handers, but it’s the same top four, just shuffled. Andrew Vaughn is the odd man out against righties.
Minnesota Twins
Luke Keaschall has started three of the past six, with Orlando Arcia taking the 2B reps in the other games. Brooks Lee is the new two-hitter. Austin Martin has been in the lineup 15 times in 17 games.
New York Mets
Carson Benge has led off every game since May 12. A.J. Ewing has sat just once since being promoted that same day. Brett Baty and Mark Vientos are getting their chance as lineup regulars amid all the team’s injuries.
New York Yankees
Paul Goldschmidt has started seven straight, with Ben Rice getting more time at DH. José Caballero has started four of five since returning from injury, while Anthony Volpe has manned shortstop in three straight entering Friday.
Philadelphia Phillies
Bryson Stott has started against five of the past six lefties. Adolis García has slid to the bottom third of the order.
Pittsburgh Pirates
Spencer Horwitz has taken the leadoff spot against righties, while Konnor Griffin held the role against the most recent lefty faced. “The Password” has started six of 10 since being recalled, while Esmerlyn Valdez has already been optioned back to Triple-A.
San Diego Padres
Fernando Tatis Jr. is up to 22 starts at second base and 31 in right field this year. Gavin Sheets mostly hits third while Miguel Andujar bats inside the top five. Ramón Laureano still plays most days but is starting to bleed reps here and there.
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San Francisco Giants
Willy Adames has led off in six straight as the Giants open a three-game set at Coors on Friday. Bryce Eldridge has started 14 of 22 since being recalled, including six of the past seven. Casey Schmitt keeps bouncing around but is mostly in left field with Heliot Ramos (quad) and Jung Hoo Lee (back) both sidelined. Schmitt’s playing time should be safe regardless given he’s been the team’s best hitter.
Seattle Mariners
Colt Emerson has started all 10 games since his call-up, including eight at third base. He’s hitting eighth or ninth but drawing the nod against every lefty. JP Crawford hasn’t played anywhere but shortstop yet. Brendan Donovan‘s eventual return from a groin injury is the thing to watch on the playing-time front.
St. Louis Cardinals
The usual 1-4 of Wetherholt/Herrera/Burleson/Walker has combined to miss just seven games this year. Bryan Torres has started in left field all six games since being called up from Triple-A. Lars Nootbaar (heels) could make his season debut next week.
Tampa Bay Rays
Richie Palacios has moved up to fifth against righties with Jake Fraley (hernia) out for a while. He platoons, with Cedric Mullins starting more against lefties. Chandler Simpson remains the primary leadoff man against righties but hasn’t swiped a bag since May 11, sitting at 14-for-22 on the year.
Texas Rangers
Andrew McCutchen was designated for assignment, so we’ll see who platoons with Joc Pederson, who’s leading off against righties. Alejandro Osuna has climbed to second with Wyatt Langford (forearm) and Corey Seager (back) both hurt. Ezequiel Duran shifted to shortstop full-time once Seager went down.
Toronto Blue Jays
Nathan Lukes came off the IL this week and went right back to the top of the order against right-handers. Plenty of consistency otherwise, given how long they’ve been without Alejandro Kirk (thumb) and Addison Barger (elbow).
Washington Nationals
Curtis Mead has started seven of eight, hitting second against southpaws and third against righties. The added opportunity has coincided with Brady House being optioned to Triple-A. Dylan Crews has played all but one game since being recalled, typically batting fifth or sixth.
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